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The RinkFor the not so ready for prime-time players, coaches, referees, and the people that have to live with them. Discuss experiences in local leagues, coaching tips, equipment, and training.

New Hockey Stick?

I'm looking to buy a new stick for the upcoming season. I previously owned a Nike Bauer Supreme One95 with 100 flex and a Malkin curve... The stick had nice wrist shots, but my slappers stayed low which really sucked. I play defense, so I need to start getting those slap shots top shelf, and I'm looking for a good stick, and a great curve for wicked slap shots that go top shelf.
I was previously looking at a Lidstrom curve, and some people said it gives a very good shot, but I wanted another opinion from people that might have experiences...
Thanks in advance.

as a defenseman you shouldnt be trying to rip it top shelf from teh blue line anyway, you want those low shots for rebounds

Pretty much what he said, but Im right with ya with wantin to shelf my slappers from the point. I use a Gagne P106 nike curve and I LOVE this curve for playing forward and D. Can elevate my slappers with ease and also keep em low if I want all with being able to have a great wrister. Id recommend it but its got a huge heel curve so you might wanna check it out and make sure its somethin you would like.

actually the One95 pissed me off so i broke it in a game... I ended my season with 9 points in 40 games... all assists for breakaways, my shots were so low that they would just bounce of skates and go wide, there were no rebound goals on my shots. Don't get me wrong, my shots are wicked hard, its just that I want that elevation on my shots for roof jobs.
My worst season yet, so what curve is guaranteed to get me a good range of shots from high to low?

actually the One95 pissed me off so i broke it in a game... I ended my season with 9 points in 40 games... all assists for breakaways, my shots were so low that they would just bounce of skates and go wide, there were no rebound goals on my shots. Don't get me wrong, my shots are wicked hard, its just that I want that elevation on my shots for roof jobs.
My worst season yet, so what curve is guaranteed to get me a good range of shots from high to low?

Shooting a slapshot high has nothing to do with the blade type. As already mentioned above technique is what you use to get a "roof job" slapshot.

It is all mechanics.

Drop your lower hand down further on the shaft for one thing and drop down a little more in the followtrough. If you hit baseballs it equates to an uppercut swing for a long ball type hit as opposed to hitting the ball straight through for a line drive hit up the middle. You say you already shoot wicked hard so roofing a slapshot should not be difficult for you if you change how you shoot it.

You should be able to do a "roof job" with any type of hockey blade made.

Open toe type blades like a pitching wedge will only help you to roof a quick shot (not a slapper by the way but just a wrist flick of the wrist type shot) in tight to the goalie up under the crossbar. That type of blade doesn't do anything for a slapshot since the part of the blade you use for a slapshot never wedges on any blade I have ever seen. Frankly you wouldn't be able to shoot a slapshot if the blade were angled back at that point as the blade would be lying flat and completely useless for hockey.

Yea, i know it has a lot to do with mechanics also, but my coach used to play semi pro before, and he's tried my stick out... Btw he has a wicked slap shot with almost any stick, he tried mine and he wouldnt get it to go top shelf at all, he got pretty frustrated... I have tried holding the shaft in different places, tried different drag spots. Nothing is working for me...
That's why i'm looking for a new curve to give me roof jobs with ease minus the frustration...

I have a one95 in p106, pro stock but with retail curve, and it's great for slappers. The pm9 is very hard to get right under the crossbar with, but I can get it like 2/3 or 3/4ths up most of the time if I try. But how many slappers from the point will be right under the crossbar and score? Not a lot. The one95 is a really good stick, I think you should work your technique more and blame the stick less.

I'm looking to buy a new stick for the upcoming season. I previously owned a Nike Bauer Supreme One95 with 100 flex and a Malkin curve... The stick had nice wrist shots, but my slappers stayed low which really sucked. I play defense, so I need to start getting those slap shots top shelf, and I'm looking for a good stick, and a great curve for wicked slap shots that go top shelf.
I was previously looking at a Lidstrom curve, and some people said it gives a very good shot, but I wanted another opinion from people that might have experiences...
Thanks in advance.

What? I'm a defenseman playing college hockey and that's the complete opposite of what you want. How many times in a season are you going to be standing at the point and take a slapper top-shelf (and score)? Once, if you're lucky? You want the puck to stay low for an abundance of reasons such as:

Better chance of hitting the net (going high from that far out will produce a lot of shots that are too high or get blocked before they get to the net).
Better chance of producing a juicy rebound (goalies tend to kick the low hard shots right back into the slot unless they have good rebound control).
Better chance of setting up a deflection.
Harder for the goalie to track through traffic.
Factually, the lower the shot stays the faster it'll be.

The only time you ever really go top-cheddar with a slapper is if you get a chance to let one off from the top of the circles on a fast break or you get a really good lane on a PP. Virtually 99% of the time any defenseman will tell you they want to keep the shot low. If your shots are just bouncing off skates than you're not good at finding the lane (or your passers aren't giving you one). If you can't get the shot through traffic with the windup, just take a quick, hard wrister (alla Brian Rafalski) to make sure it gets on net. Too many defensemen think that just because they're standing at the blueline they need to wind up for a slapper. I'm using a One95 Naslund curve but I mostly chose it because I like the way it feels for my passes. I had a Malkin curve on the XXXX a couple of years ago and didn't love it.

You want your shot to be about a foot to two feet in the air... that's perfect height for getting past skates, over goalies pads and under their blocker and glove.

If you get a Lidstrom curve and you're ripping slappers from the point your forwards will hate you because you will be hitting them in the face. I used that blade before and I was deadly in between the circles but crap everywhere else because the puck would launch over the end glass.

The Iginla might be better because it's a 1/2 inch deep but doesn't open up too much.

I'm looking to buy a new stick for the upcoming season. I previously owned a Nike Bauer Supreme One95 with 100 flex and a Malkin curve... The stick had nice wrist shots, but my slappers stayed low which really sucked. I play defense, so I need to start getting those slap shots top shelf, and I'm looking for a good stick, and a great curve for wicked slap shots that go top shelf.
I was previously looking at a Lidstrom curve, and some people said it gives a very good shot, but I wanted another opinion from people that might have experiences...
Thanks in advance.

coincidentally, i use a P4/PM9 and tried out the P5 because it was the only model Stealth available... and truth be told -- i didnt mind it too much. true, it gets your shots up higher, but it's been mentioned to death here already, a high shot from the point is useless unless it goes in (and how often is that going to happen????). The Lidstrom is great for firing the puck out of your zone effortlessly, it's great for quick saucer passes (d-to-d especially) and/or the first pass, and the squared toe is big enough to take up good real estate along the boards. I found that i lost a lot of control with it on one-timers from the point (often going over the net) and i really had to bring my right hand low to get it to stay down (which takes more time)... however, quick snap shots to keep the puck deep, lateral passing, clearing attempts on PK and mild mannered shots from the point make this blade work for me... although i still prefer the P4 for all-around game use. that being said, i use the P4 on a regular basis, but when i'm entering into a scenario where i think that P5 is going to be a benefit to my game i bring it off the bench.

If you aren't sure which curve you want to use, I would suggest you get a two piece stick, that way if you don't like the curve you can just swap it out until you find what you like. If you are looking for a high end stick I would suggest the S16 for a tapered blade and the S15 (basically a z-bubble) for a standard fitting blade.

You do want something a little more open. Technique is all well and good, but an open toe hook is going to allow you to roof a wrister a lot easier and better then a mild closed heel.

The lidstrom is a good choice, at least the old easton one. Anything heel and slightly open should be good for you.

He was talking about slapshots though. A pitching wedge toe blade will definately help roof a puck with a wrister, I mentioned it in my post.

Slapshots though it doesn't really do anything since one doesn't shoot a slapshot on the toe of the blade. If they do they are doing it wrong and probably break many blades and don't have a good slapper to begin with. I've never seen a blade angled that much in the middle or closer to the heel to do that ... maybe I've missed something in 35 years but I would think I would have seen one by now even by accident.

he mentioned his was good but low and he couldn't get his to rise. That is a mechanics issue clearly and there is NO blade available that will help him do a "roof job" as he wanted them to do from the point.

He was talking about slapshots though. A pitching wedge toe blade will definately help roof a puck with a wrister, I mentioned it in my post.

Slapshots though it doesn't really do anything since one doesn't shoot a slapshot on the toe of the blade. If they do they are doing it wrong and probably break many blades and don't have a good slapper to begin with.

he mentioned his was good but low and he couldn't get his to rise. That is a mechanics issue clearly and there is NO blade available that will help him do a "roof job" as he wanted them to do from the point.

I disagree with this.. the height of my slap shot varies significantly with the different types of blades I use. You're still going to have rotation of the puck from heel to toe when it's coming off your stick so if the blade is open in the mid or toe it's going to cause the shot to rise whether it's a snap, slap or wrister.

I disagree with this.. the height of my slap shot varies significantly with the different types of blades I use. You're still going to have rotation of the puck from heel to toe when it's coming off your stick so if the blade is open in the mid or toe it's going to cause the shot to rise whether it's a snap, slap or wrister.

Well you're certainly entitled to an opinion. I shoot fantastic slapshots and they do NOT roll up the length of the entire blade enough for any of this to make a difference in rising a slapshot.

Wristshots yes, slapshots use up maybe 4 to 5 inches of space on a blade front ... tops. AND that is (if done correctly) between the middle part of the blade and the heel.

I'm not a physics major, but what would cause the puck to spin on the blade for 4-5 inches and then pop off the middle of the blade? The puck has to ride along the blade in order to start rotating.

Just watch this instead. I'll add that my tape wear says my way is the way it is.
yes you are correct for every other shot other than a slapshot, you hit a slapper too hard for it to be on the blade that long .... seriously man it really does this.
Adam Graves explains well enough to grasp what I am saying. Watch the whole thing and don't cheat by fast forwarding. It starts with the basic wrist shot then the snap shot and then the slapshot.

This is how I shoot my slapshots and I am almost 41 and still break plexiglas once in a while or split a puck in half on the post outdoors when it is very cold out.

Just watch this instead. I'll add that my tape wear says my way is the way it is.
yes you are correct for every other shot other than a slapshot, you hit a slapper too hard for it to be on the blade that long .... seriously man it really does this.
Adam Graves explains well enough to grasp what I am saying. Watch the whole thing and don't cheat by fast forwarding. It starts with the basic wrist shot then the snap shot and then the slapshot.

This is how I shoot my slapshots and I am almost 41 and still break plexiglas once in a while or split a puck in half on the post outdoors when it is very cold out.

I watched it but I didn't see anything on there about puck placement on the blade, just more info about weight transfer. I would love to see a slap shot with a high speed camera coming off a blade.

I watched it but I didn't see anything on there about puck placement on the blade, just more info about weight transfer. I would love to see a slap shot with a high speed camera coming off a blade.

Also, most retail curves are mid curves and start to open up in the middle of the blade. You're going to have a difference in height between a 2 iron and a sand wedge.

Adam graves told you ... he clearly said to hit the puck with the blade angled open to go high and to close it for it to be low. he isn't talking about angling before it hits the puck he is talking about after you hit ... the followthrough. You know ... MECHANICS.

If you bought a blade pre-angled where it makes contact on a slapshot (middle to the heel) you'll just be chopping at the puck with a wedge and will get a weak flutter shot.

It cannot be explained any better than it is in the video. Forget the weight transfer business on how to shoot a slapshot but pay attention to the instruction given by a PRO. You DO NOT NEED A WEDGE to make a slapshot rise period.

If you do you are shooting incorrectly to begin with and need to relearn it properly with PROper mechanics. There is no way to shoot a slapshot HARD with an angled mid-heel portion of the blade.

And seriously the puck is NOT on the blade long enough to run up the entire length of the blade to get the spin it has.

You can believe what you want to ... it's ok eventually you will see what I am talking about because it really is that way. I'm sure there is a video out there of a slowmotion slapshot closeup on the blade from overhead or something. I don't even need to see it as my tape wear tells me already.

EDIT: response to your edit video, the puck is coming off just about in the middle of the blade. it appears to be on the toe because it has already left the blade and is hiding a bit out of view. You need an overhead view.

But again my tape wear tells me what I need to know better than any video. I am absolutely certain anyone here who has a legit top notch slapshot will agree with what I am saying. 5 inches of blade TOPS is used as the puck is just not on the blade long enough with a slapshot.

My point though is that if one is trying to get an angled wedged blade in order to shoot a slapshot as a 'roof job" they are definately shooting wrong to begin with and i would have a hard time believing that they even have a good slapshot to begin with.

It really is mechanics. The reason your shot will vary with different blades is because you have to adjust your mechanics to the contour of the new blade. If you go from a Malkin to a Naslund, for example (since that was my most recent change) you'll have to adjust a bit to get used to the new blade, but outside of the adjusting period, a person with a fundamentally sound shot should be able to get the same results with any blade after having some time to get used to it. Choosing a blade is really about finding the right configuration to compliment your shooting mechanics, but if you have a good shot, you should be able to adjust to anything.

Adam graves told you ... he clearly said to hit the puck with the blade angled open to go high and to close it for it to be low. he isn't talking about angling before it hits the puck he is talking about after you hit ... the followthrough. You know ... MECHANICS.

If you bought a blade pre-angled where it makes contact on a slapshot (middle to the heel) you'll just be chopping at the puck with a wedge and will get a weak flutter shot.

If you do you are shooting incorrectly to begin with and need to relearn it properly with PROper mechanics. There is no way to shoot a slapshot HARD with an angled mid-heel portion of the blade.

And seriously the puck is NOT on the blade long enough to run up the entire length of the blade to get the spin it has.

My point though is that if one is trying to get an angled wedged blade in order to shoot a slapshot as a 'roof job" they are definately shooting wrong to begin with and i would have a hard time believing that they even have a good slapshot to begin with.

Middle of the stick and flies off the end it looks like to me. I'm not disputing that you roll your wrist and keep your blade open to shoot the puck but the openness of a blade is going to make a difference on height of shot.

We agree that if you need a open curved stick to shoot in the air your technique is off. What I was saying is that when I shoot with an open blade it goes too high because I'm used to turning my wrists more while shooting to get height.

I think we actually agree on almost everything, all I'm saying is that openness of the blade does make a difference on the height of any shot, not just wristers and snappers.

Middle of the stick and flies off the end it looks like to me. I'm not disputing that you roll your wrist and keep your blade open to shoot the puck but the openness of a blade is going to make a difference on height of shot.

We agree that if you need a open curved stick to shoot in the air your technique is off. What I was saying is that when I shoot with an open blade it goes too high because I'm used to turning my wrists more while shooting to get height.

I think we actually agree on almost everything, all I'm saying is that openness of the blade does make a difference on the height of any shot, not just wristers and snappers.

Well you can see this in the video too ... it does not go up on the toe of the blade of his stick. I wished they hadn't used that quick cut editing crap in that video but I did see what you are talking about eventually. it isn't a toe job though most of the enrgy from a slapshot has already entered or left the blade and you are seeing the puck near the blade but NOT making contact as it is his followthrough with the blade you are looking at almost in contact but the puck is already in front of the blade at that point. AN OVERHEAD WOULD SHOW IT. You can see in your video what I am talking about at about the 6:58 mark, you see the puck leave where i am stating it does. An overhead would show what i am saying.

here is an old wood blade i had in my closet I dug out just to show you what I am talking about. In the video you posted it is the same thing seen there. The puck comes off the blade during the followthrough and it appears like it is rolling along the toe but it isn't.

The circle is where the puck makes contact with my blade. The blue lines are the area in which the puck actually makes contact with the blade. if there were tape over this you would see the puck wear marks match this exactly.

i used this stick only for slapshots and broke it in one day on an outdoor rink I had to myself and my goal cage i load in the pickup truck.

The puck NEVER touches past the furthest blue line I drew with a marker. You can plainly see the white line that is a crack in the blade made from slapshot repetition.

so back to the topic, what curve would you recommend for my problem then? Should I go with a lidstrom or something else? I kno a low slap shot is great, but sometimes i get that free shot opening on the powerplay or on a 1 timer, and if my slapper can't go top shelf there is really no point in me shooting...